Molson defaces own posters

Published on July 31, 1998.

TORONTO -- Molson Breweries has launched a new campaign for Black Ice beer, literally defacing its own ads. Street posters were "wild posted" around Toronto on construction walls and other public sites featuring three mock ads, including one for Monkey Wrench underwear, which were a week later "defaced" with graffiti, including a hand-drawn Black Ice logo. The posters are running concurrent with a Toronto billboard campaign promoting the new largesized 950 ml Black Ice can. The tagline is: "It's not a big can, it's a small keg."

Richard Kellam, marketing director at Molson in Toronto, says Black Ice is not a "hugely advertised brand" and the company expects to keep it this way, focusing on top-of-mind awareness "in a somewhat recessive manner." BBDO Canada of Toronto created the campaigns.